For many years, those working in the plumbing industry have required tools that would allow them to punch holes in steel studs and/or sheet metal to allow them to run plumbing pipe therethrough. The tools that have evolved for this purpose have had some drawbacks. One such drawback is that the hand operated punches have required a large amount of handle force to punch a large hole, i.e., one with a diameter of over two and a half inches. If the required handle force were reduced, the punch was usually not provided with enough travel to allow the punch to clear the stud. Therefore, there is a need in the plumbing industry for a punch tool that is capable of punching holes of a large diameter that requires a relatively low handle force but that also provides enough travel for the punch to clear the stud.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a stud punch tool for the punching of steel studs and/or sheet metal that will allow the plumbing industry to punch holes therein large enough to run two-inch PVC pipe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a stud punch that keeps handle force low to punch a hole while providing enough travel so that the punch can clear a stud to allow the tool to be easily placed on and off of the stud.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention provides a novel stud punch tool for punching a stud. The tool includes a first member, a second member, a third member pivotally connected to the first and second members, and a punch assembly. The first member has an opening for receiving the stud and a bore that is in communication with the opening and which allows the punch assembly to move through the bore and the opening to punch the stud. The second member has slots therein to allow the punching assembly to be slidably mounted therein such that a portion of the punch assembly is capable of being positioned at a first end of the slots when the second member is parallel to the first member and such that the portion is capable of being positioned at a second end of the slots when the second member is angled from the first member.